Chickpeas

By Nikola · Precision Nutrition L1 · Updated 4 November 2026

Chickpeas are a pulse that does two jobs at once: they bring protein and a lot of fibre in the same spoonful. Per 100 g cooked chickpeas, USDA lists 164 kcal, 8.9 g protein and 7.6 g fibre. The numbers change a lot depending on whether you look at dry, home-cooked or canned chickpeas, because water makes up most of the weight once they are cooked. This page puts the three side by side, so you can compare like with like.

Nutrition per 100 g: dry, cooked, canned

Nutrient	Dry (raw)	Cooked, boiled, no salt	Canned, drained and rinsed
Energy	378 kcal	164 kcal	137 kcal
Water	7.7 g	60.2 g	68.6 g
Protein	20.5 g	8.9 g	7.0 g
Fat, total	6.0 g	2.6 g	3.1 g
Carbohydrate	63.0 g	27.4 g	20.3 g
of which fibre	12.2 g	7.6 g	5.9 g
of which sugars	10.7 g	4.8 g	not measured
Sodium	24 mg	7 mg	202 mg
Salt equivalent (sodium x 2.5)	0.06 g	0.02 g	0.51 g
Potassium	718 mg	291 mg	137 mg
Iron	4.31 mg	2.89 mg	1.04 mg
Magnesium	79 mg	48 mg	28 mg
Zinc	2.76 mg	1.53 mg	0.72 mg
Folate	557 µg	172 µg	not measured
Manganese	4.15 mg	1.03 mg	0.75 mg

Data: USDA FoodData Central. Dry: “Chickpeas (garbanzo beans, bengal gram), mature seeds, raw” (SR Legacy, FDC 173756). Cooked: “Chickpeas, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt” (SR Legacy, FDC 173757). Canned: “Chickpeas, canned, sodium added, drained and rinsed” (Foundation, FDC 2644288, average of 8 samples; energy calculated with general Atwater factors). All checked 2026-10-29. Values are rounded; salt equivalent uses the EU labelling factor (sodium x 2.5). Canned brands differ, especially in salt, so check the label of the one you buy.

Per serving

	Half a cup cooked (82 g)	Half a 400 g can, drained (about 120 g)
Energy	134 kcal	164 kcal
Protein	7.3 g	8.4 g
Fibre	6.2 g (about 25% of 25 g)	7.1 g (about 28% of 25 g)
Iron	2.4 mg	1.2 mg
Folate	141 µg (about 43% of 330 µg)	not measured
Sodium	6 mg	242 mg

The cup weight (164 g cooked) is from the USDA record. The drained weight of a 400 g can varies by brand; 120 g is an approximation, so use the drained weight on your label. Percentages compare with EFSA reference values for adults: 25 g of fibre a day and 330 µg of folate a day (population reference intake).

Dry vs cooked vs canned: what changes

• Water. Dry chickpeas absorb water as they cook. Comparing the protein in the two USDA records, 100 g of dry chickpeas gives roughly 230 g cooked. That is why every number per 100 g drops after cooking: the same nutrients are spread over more weight.
• Salt. Home-cooked chickpeas without salt have almost none (7 mg sodium per 100 g). The canned, rinsed sample in USDA has 202 mg, about half a gram of salt per 100 g. Cooking your own, or choosing cans with no added salt, keeps that number low.
• Some minerals. The canned sample shows less potassium, iron and magnesium per 100 g than home-cooked chickpeas. Part of the difference is the extra water, part is what goes into the liquid in the can.

Glycemic index of chickpeas

Chickpeas have a glycemic index of 28 ± 9 on the glucose scale (international GI tables, 2008), one of the lowest values of any food with carbohydrate. Lentils are 32 and kidney beans 24; white bread is around 75. Fibre, protein and slowly digested starch explain why a bowl of chickpeas raises blood sugar so gently.

What the evidence says

• Fibre. 100 g of cooked chickpeas gives 7.6 g fibre, close to a third of the 25 g a day EFSA considers adequate for normal bowel function in adults. Most people in Europe eat less than that, and pulses are one of the easiest ways to close the gap.
• Protein. About 22% of the energy in cooked chickpeas comes from protein. That makes them a useful plant protein, especially next to whole grains, which complement their amino acid profile.
• Folate. Half a cup of cooked chickpeas covers more than 40% of the adult reference intake. Folate matters for everyone and is especially important before and in early pregnancy.
• Iron. Chickpeas contain non-heme iron, which the body absorbs less well than iron from meat. The EU accepts that vitamin C increases iron absorption, so lemon juice, tomatoes or peppers in the same meal help.

Ayurveda: chickpeas in the traditional system

Chickpeas (chana) are a staple of Indian cooking. In Usha and Vasant Lad’s food guidelines they are favourable for Pitta and Kapha and on the list to avoid for Vata, because pulses are seen as dry, heavy and gas-forming. Traditional cooking answers this with long soaking, thorough cooking and warming spices such as cumin, ginger and turmeric, plus a little oil or ghee. This is the traditional view, not a clinical finding.

Risks and who should be careful

• Wind and bloating. Like other pulses, chickpeas contain fermentable carbohydrates. Increasing them slowly, rinsing canned chickpeas and cooking dry ones well tends to help. People following a low-FODMAP plan usually tolerate small portions of canned, rinsed chickpeas better than larger ones.
• Salt in canned chickpeas. Check the label if you are watching sodium.
• Allergy. Chickpea allergy exists, though it is not one of the 14 allergens that EU labels must highlight. People allergic to other legumes should ask their doctor.
• Dry chickpeas must be cooked. Soak them and cook them until soft; do not eat them raw.

How to buy, cook and use them

• Dry: soak overnight in plenty of water, drain, then simmer in fresh water until soft (usually 1-2 hours, less in a pressure cooker). Salt at the end. Cooked chickpeas keep 3-4 days in the fridge and freeze well in portions.
• Canned: drain and rinse. Compare salt per 100 g on EU labels; “no added salt” versions exist.
• Use: blended into hummus, in soups and stews with tomatoes and spinach, roasted as a snack, tossed with roasted vegetables, or with pasta in the Italian pasta e ceci.

Dishes to try

• Classic hummus
• Roasted Mediterranean vegetables (add a tin of chickpeas to the tray)

Related entries

• Lentils – the quickest pulse to cook
• White beans
• What is the glycemic index? (with food table)
• Plant-based meals for weight loss
• Mediterranean diet for beginners
• Mediterranean diet
• Extra virgin olive oil per 100 g
• Polyphenols: foods and what the evidence says
• Red lentil soup with lemon (another pulse, same idea)

FAQ

How many calories are in chickpeas?

Per 100 g: 378 kcal dry, 164 kcal cooked without salt, 137 kcal canned, drained and rinsed (USDA). Half a cup of cooked chickpeas (82 g) is about 134 kcal.

How much protein is in chickpeas?

8.9 g per 100 g cooked and 7.0 g per 100 g canned and rinsed. Dry chickpeas show 20.5 g per 100 g, but that is before they absorb water.

Are canned chickpeas as healthy as dried?

Close enough for most people. The canned sample in USDA has a little less fibre and some minerals per 100 g and more salt. Rinsing and choosing low-salt cans narrows the gap.

How much do dry chickpeas weigh after cooking?

Roughly 2.3 times their dry weight, calculated from the protein in the USDA dry and cooked records. 100 g dry gives about 230 g cooked; the exact number depends on how long you cook them.

Do chickpeas count as protein or as a vegetable?

Both, in practice. They are a pulse: a good plant protein and a high-fibre food. Many dietary guidelines count them in either group.

Sources

1. USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Chickpeas (garbanzo beans, bengal gram), mature seeds, raw (FDC 173756). fdc.nal.usda.gov
2. USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Chickpeas, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt (FDC 173757). fdc.nal.usda.gov
3. USDA FoodData Central, Foundation: Chickpeas, canned, sodium added, drained and rinsed (FDC 2644288). fdc.nal.usda.gov
4. EFSA NDA Panel (2010). Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for carbohydrates and dietary fibre. EFSA Journal 8(3):1462. efsa.europa.eu
5. EFSA NDA Panel (2014). Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for folate. EFSA Journal 12(11):3893. efsa.europa.eu
6. Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims (vitamin C and iron absorption). EUR-Lex
7. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information to consumers, Annex I (salt = sodium x 2.5) and Annex II (allergens). EUR-Lex
8. Atkinson FS, Foster-Powell K, Brand-Miller JC. International Tables of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Values: 2008. Diabetes Care 2008;31(12):2281-2283. PMC
9. Lad U, Lad V. Food Guidelines for Basic Constitutional Types, from Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing, 2nd ed. The Ayurvedic Institute. ayurveda.com

This page is for information only and is not medical or dietary advice.